Anesthetic vaporizer filling system

Abstract

A system for the delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to a sump of an anesthetic vaporizer includes a filler assembly rotatable about a pivot point. The filler assembly further includes a sump valve that controls fluid communication between the filler assembly and the sump. An adapter is coupled with the filler spout and includes a sealing surface that forms a seal against fluid communication between the anesthetic bottle and the adapter. The filler assembly, the filler spout, and the adapter are rotated about the pivot point along the rail. The rotation of the filler assembly, the filler spout, and the adapter about the pivot point opens the sump valve and the seal between the adapter and the anesthetic bottle.

1. A system for the delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to a sump of an anesthetic vaporizer, the system comprising:
 a filler assembly rotatable about a pivot point, the filler assembly comprising a sump valve, the sump valve controlling fluid communication between the filler assembly and the sump as the filler assembly is rotated about the pivot point; 
 a filler spout connected in fluid communication with the filler assembly; 
 a bottle cap configured for connection to an anesthetic bottle containing liquid anesthetic agent, the bottle cap having a bottle end and an end opposite the bottle end; 
 an adapter having a bottle end and a vaporizer end, the bottle end being coaxial to the bottle cap and having a sealing surface that engages the bottle cap to form a seal against fluid communication between the anesthetic bottle and the adapter, the vaporizer end of the adapter extending away from the bottle cap, the vaporizer end of the adapter coupling with the filler spout; and 
 a rail coupled to the anesthetic vaporizer, the rail having a cam surface, the cam surface varying in radial distance from the pivot point, the bottle cap contacting the rail such that rotation of the bottle cap and the adapter about the pivot point causes the cam surface of the rail to push the bottle cap radially along an axis from the pivot point, disengaging the sealing surface of the adapter from the bottle cap and opening the adapter to fluid communication with the anesthetic bottle. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a filler valve disposed between the filler assembly and the filler spout, the filler valve having a sealing position preventing fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly and an open position allowing fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly; and 
 a linkage extending from the filler assembly to a filler valve, the linkage actuating the filler valve between the sealing position and the open position as the filler assembly is rotated about the pivot point. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein a radially exterior surface of the adapter engages a radially interior surface of the filler spout. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a filler valve disposed between the filler assembly and the filler spout, the filler valve operating between a sealing position preventing fluid communication therethrough and the filler assembly and an open position allowing fluid communication therethrough; 
 wherein the adapter engages the filler valve and coaxial movement of the adapter within the filler spout in a direction towards the pivot point actuates the filler valve to move from the sealing position to the open position. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  further comprising a bottle valve that comprises the bottle cap and the bottle end of the adapter, the bottle valve operating between a sealing position preventing fluid communication therethrough, and an open position allowing fluid communication therethrough;
 wherein the rotation of the adapter and the bottle cap about the pivot point and along the rail operates the bottle valve and the filler valve between the sealing position and the open position in a predetermined sequence. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the cam surface of the rail is an outer cam surface and the rail further comprises an inner cam surface, the inner cam surface and the outer cam surface diverging in radial distance from the pivot point. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  further comprising an intermediate connection disposed between the adapter and the filler spout, the intermediate connection engaging the adapter and engaging the filler spout, the intermediate connection further comprising a projection configured to engage the inner cam surface of the rail. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein the intermediate connection further engages a filler valve disposed between the filler assembly and the filler spout and a camming action between the inner cam surface and the outer projection surface, as the intermediate connector is rotated about the pivot point along the rail, actuates the filler valve from a sealing position preventing fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly, to an open position, allowing fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly. 
     
     
       9. An adapter apparatus for connection between an anesthetic bottle and an anesthetic vaporizer, the adapter comprising:
 a bottle cap configured at one end for connection to the anesthetic bottle, the bottle cap having an open interior; 
 an adapter with a bottle end and a vaporizer end, the bottle end terminating in a sealing surface that couples with the bottle cap to form a seal against fluid communication, the vaporizer end extending away from the bottle cap, the vaporizer end configured to couple with the anesthetic vaporizer, the adapter further comprising a rib extending radially outward from the adapter; 
 wherein a force applied to at least one of the bottle cap and the rib of the adapter increases the distance between the bottle cap and the rib and separates the sealing surface of the adapter from the bottle cap, thereby opening fluid communication between the bottle cap and the adapter. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a radially exterior surface of the vaporizer end of the adapter is configured to couple with the vaporizer. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising an intermediate connection, the intermediate connection being coaxial with the adapter, the intermediate connection configured to couple with the vaporizer, the intermediate connection further comprising a projection wherein a force applied to at least one of the intermediate connection and the rib of the adapter extends the intermediate connection coaxially away from the adapter. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a spring disposed within the bottle cap and radially exterior to the adapter, the spring applying a force against the bottle cap and the adapter to bias the sealing surface of the adapter in engagement with the bottle cap. 
     
     
       13. An anesthetic vaporizer comprising:
 a sump positioned in the anesthetic vaporizer to receive and store liquid anesthetic agent; 
 a filler assembly configured to rotate about a pivot point in the filler assembly, the filler assembly connected to the sump through a sump valve, the sump valve being actuated by the rotation of the filler assembly about the pivot point; 
 a filler spout connected to the filler assembly and extending radially away from the pivot point of the filler assembly, the filler spout having a hollow interior for fluid communication therethrough, the filler spout being configured to establish fluid communication with an anesthetic bottle; 
 a filler valve positioned between the filler assembly and the filler spout, the filler valve movable between a sealing position wherein the filler valve prevents fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly and an open position wherein the filler valve allows fluid communication between the filler spout and the filler assembly; and 
 a rail having a cam surface at a radially diverging distance from the pivot point of the filler assembly. 
 
     
     
       14. The anesthetic vaporizer of  claim 13  wherein the filler valve is movable from the sealing position to the open position by pressure against the filler valve in the direction of the pivot point. 
     
     
       15. The anesthetic vaporizer of  claim 14  further comprising a spring connected between the filler assembly and the filler valve, the spring biasing the filler valve in the sealing position. 
     
     
       16. The anesthetic vaporizer of  claim 13  further comprising a linkage extending from the filler assembly to the filler valve, the linkage moving the filler valve between the sealing position and the open position as the filler assembly is rotated about the pivot point. 
     
     
       17. The anesthetic vaporizer of  claim 13  wherein the filler spout is configured to couple with an anesthetic bottle to establish fluid communication between the anesthetic bottle and the filler spout. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13  wherein the cam surface of the rail is an inner cam surface at a distance from the pivot point that diverges radially inward. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18  further comprising an intermediate connection coaxial with and radially interior to the filler spout, and being configured to couple with an anesthetic bottle, the intermediate connection further comprising a projection configured to contact the inner cam surface of the rail. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the intermediate connection further engages the filler valve and a camming action between the inner cam surface and the projection, as the intermediate connector is rotated about the pivot point, actuates the filler valve from the sealing position to the open position.